Plates

Hot-rolled flat steel plates, 3 mm to 4.75 mm thick

BIS QCO APPLICABLE · ISI MARK SCHEME · SIMS OVERLAY

HSN 7208 38 10 (hot-rolled flat steel plates of 3 mm or more but less than 4.75 mm thickness) is covered by a Bureau of Indian Standards Quality Control Order under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024. Conformity to IS 1079 or IS 2062, as applicable, is mandatory under the ISI Mark Scheme per S.O. 3716(E). Steel Import Monitoring System registration administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade applies as a separate customs-clearance overlay.

What this is

HSN code

7208 38 10

Chapter

72 · Iron and steel

BIS QCO

Applicable · ISI Mark Scheme · CM/L required

Indian Standard

IS 1079 / IS 2062 · effective 29-08-2024

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

BISBIS·Bureau of Indian Standards

SIMSSIMS·Steel Import Monitoring System

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, Directorate General of Foreign Trade.

Compliance steps

1
Source only from a Bureau of Indian Standards CM/L-licensed manufacturer holding a current licence against IS 1079 or IS 2062, as appropriate to the product specification. Verify the supplier's CM/L number, licensed product scope, and manufacturing facility on the BIS online register before placing the purchase order.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024 · Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018
2
Ensure every plate bears the ISI standard mark under the supplier's CM/L licence per Scheme-I of Schedule-II to the BIS (Conformity Assessment) Regulations, 2018. A test certificate bearing the standard mark, issued by the BIS-certified manufacturer, must accompany each consignment.
Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 · S.O. 3716(E) dated 29-08-2024
3
Register the consignment on the Steel Import Monitoring System portal no earlier than 60 days before the expected date of arrival. The registration fee is ₹500 and the automatic registration number is valid for 75 days from issue.
DGFT Notification 33/2015-20 dated 28-09-2020 · DGFT Notification 28/2023 dated 28-08-2023
4
If the consignment is seconds or defective HR plates, comply with the applicable value restriction, port restriction, and Pre-Shipment Inspection Certificate requirements. Price restrictions on prime steel items apply to the extent specified in the Madras High Court order dated 21-01-2004 in W.P. No. 38864 and 38865 of 2003.
Policy Conditions 1, 2 and 3 of Chapter 72 of the ITC (HS) Import Policy
5
If the consignment is imported without BIS licence or certification, apply for and obtain clarification on the TCQCO portal before customs clearance, as mandated by the Ministry of Steel circular dated 20-10-2023. Quote the BIS CM/L number and SIMS registration number on the bill of entry; absent, expired, or scope-mismatched details trigger consignment detention.
Ministry of Steel Circular dated 20-10-2023 (F. No. S-20011/14/2021-Tech) · CBIC clarification F. No. 401/88/2023-Cus.III dated 09-11-2023

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is failing to confirm which Indian Standard — IS 1079 or IS 2062 — governs the specific plate specification being imported, and sourcing from a manufacturer whose CM/L licence covers only the other standard or a different product scope. Both IS numbers map to this HSN; a CM/L held against IS 1079 does not authorise import of plates that must conform to IS 2062, and customs will detain a consignment where the test certificate and standard mark do not correspond to the correct IS for that specification.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 7208 38 10 require BIS certification?

Yes. Hot-rolled flat steel plates of 3 mm to less than 4.75 mm thickness require ISI Mark Scheme certification against IS 1079 or IS 2062 under the Steel and Steel Products Quality Control Order, 2024 (S.O. 3716(E)); import from manufacturers without a current CM/L licence is not permitted.

Is Steel Import Monitoring System registration required separately from BIS QCO compliance?

Yes. SIMS registration is administered by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade, is independent of the BIS QCO obligation, costs ₹500, and is valid for 75 days. Re-imports for packaging only and certain SEZ-to-DTA movements are exempt from SIMS under DGFT policy circular 38/2015-20 dated 19-01-2022.

Does the exemption under S.O. 5134(E) affect this tariff line?

Possibly. S.O. 5134(E) dated 20-11-2025 suspends enforcement for specified serial numbers in Schedule 1 of the QCO for three years from publication; whether IS 1079 or IS 2062 fall within the suspended serial numbers must be confirmed against the published schedule before concluding that the QCO obligation is deferred.

Does a single CM/L licence cover all plate thicknesses and specifications within this HSN?

No. A CM/L licence is scope-specific by IS number, product specification, and manufacturing facility; plates outside the licensed specification or from an unlicensed plant are not covered and customs detains consignments on any scope mismatch.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: BIS / SIMS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.